The Cabaret Project Of St. Louis Presents 2013 Festival

The second annual St. Louis Cabaret Festival begins Wednesday, July 31, 2013. Marilyn Maye, Billy Stritch, Jason Graae and John Bucchino are the festival headliners.

Marilyn Maye is a legendary cabaret singer who has performed on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson a record 76 times. She joined Billy Stritch, a singer, songwriter and pianist who often performs with Liza Minnelli and the Cabaret Project's Executive Director, Tim Schall, to talk about the upcoming festival with Cityscape host Steve Potter.

Maye and Stritch told the story of how they met and began performing together in Houston when Stritch was eighteen. Stritch said he started going back to the club where Maye was performing night after night, drawn by her ability to keep the audience rapt to attention.

"Not only was she a great singer, but also a great entertainer." said Stritch.

Stritch invited Maye to see him perform at a Houston restaurant and when she came, invited her to sing with him.

"And we've been singing together ever since," said Maye.

Maye and Stritch have both performed in St. Louis before, but this is the first time they will be part of the Cabaret Festival.

Also performing in the festival will be singer and comedian Jason Graae and songwriter John Bucchino. Schall called Graae "one of the funniest people on the planet" and Bucchino "a brilliant new voice."

John Bucchino wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical A Catered Affair and the songs for the Dreamworks film Joseph King of Dreams.

"It's really exciting to have the new songwriters as part of the cabaret festival," said Schall of Bucchino. "Because as much as we love to celebrate the great American songbook, we also love to promote the new great American songbook. And I believe John is a part of that."

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A discussion with producer Tim Schall and performers Marilyn Maye and Billy Stritch about the 2013 St. Louis Cabaret Festival.